Sunday, January 23, 2011

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

I've seen this verse on various homesteading blogs and upon first reading, it sounds like all we need to do to witness to others is 1) lead a quiet life, 2) mind our own business, and 3) work with our hands. From there, outsiders will look in and wonder enough to ask questions. That's how I've seen it until I read it in my Bible, the NKJV. Notice the 3rd word also. Also means we do these things in addition to whatever was written just prior. That would be this.

9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;

I believe the statement to "increase more and more" refers to the growth of the body of Christ. This cannot happen if we are not sharing Christ's love with those that have yet to receive it. For me, that means I don't have an "out" for not doing this, as I had started to believe when first reading these verses. It does indicate that one way this can be done is for the body of Christ to love one another, and perhaps thus cause a non-believer to wonder why anyone would do such things.